The Coolest Gadgets and Gizmos (and Pizza) of the Year

Here are some of the coolest products made by companies on this year's Inc. 500.

Not all Inc. 500 honorees make tangible items, but the ones that do make some impressive ones. From pizza and propellers to firefighting systems and chocolate, members of this year's list are cranking out some crazy cool merchandise--and it's paying off big time. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Big Profits From Old Planes

TAG Aero, founded in 2009 by Myles Thomas, buys airplane components, sends them to FAA-certified repair companies, and then sells the refurbished parts back to airlines. The impeller pictured here, which helps compress air in a jet engine, was bought from Lufthansa as part of a larger auxiliary power unit that sold for $15,000. Once the fixed-up component passes FAA testing, the Winter Garden, Florida-based company will complete all the necessary paperwork--which can take up to two months--and then sell it to an airline for around $50,000. --Kevin J. Ryan

2. Building the Perfect Pie

Scott Svenson and his wife, Ally, started two successful restaurant chains in the United Kingdom before taking a stab at pizza back home with their Bellevue, Washington--based Mod Pizza, founded in 2008. Instead of being waited on, diners design their 11-inch pizza or salad at a counter with a "builder." (Many builders are ex-cons or chronically unemployed people, whom the Svensons are committed to helping find better lives.) Mod's more than 150 restaurants use a dough that's part Neapolitan, part New York City, and formulated not to droop. "It's five to six minutes," says Svenson, from ordering "to when you have it in your hands." --Sheila Marakar

3. Let There Be Light

While working in sales and distribution at a high-end lighting-fixture company in Shanghai in 2008, Cole Zucker realized there was a huge market for LED lighting in the U.S. He and friend Guillaume Vidal, who worked in R&D at an LED maker also in Shanghai, co-founded LED lighting distributor Green Creative in 2010. By 2012, the San Bruno, California-based company had started producing its own bulbs, like the one seen here. Made up of 81 individual LEDs, this 45-watt bulb contains an internal cooling system, so it's cooler than non-LED bulbs. Green Creative's largely corporate customer base loves that the lights last more than five years. --Abigail Baron

4. Turning iPhones Into Art

"I love reclaimed wood and using wood for projects, so it made sense for me to get a wooden case for my phone," says John Webber. When he couldn't find one he liked, the e-commerce veteran knew he had a business idea on his hands. Since its launch in 2011, the Elkhart, Indiana-based Carved has sold nearly 200,000 artful, wood-based iPhone covers, like the Miramar, seen here. (Webber's co-founder, Grant Sassaman, is no longer with the company.) Buyers can also fashion their own designs. "The iPhone looks the same year after year," says Webber. "Attach a piece of wood to it and you've got a very unique phone." --Victoria Finkle

5. Making Bank on the Drone Invasion

Skyrocket Toys launched its first line of recreational drones in 2013. The Los Angeles-based company, founded in 2010 by Nelo Lucich, John Ardell, Jon Proudfit, and Jackson Ho, had already released a handful of toys to modest success. The remote-controlled drones seemed headed down the same path--and then last year, the industry exploded. Most advanced is the Sky Viper v2900 Pro Streaming Video drone (top, $249.99), which sends a live HD feed to any smart device as it records a video. The more kid-friendly Sky Viper m500 Nano (bottom, $29.99) is small enough to fly indoors. --Kevin J. Ryan

6. Designing Minds

Jason Horvath and Bill Hilgendorf have found a way to turn their creative impulses into profit with their custom-made-furniture business, Uhuru Design. Founded in 2004, it has since grown into a $10 million high-end design-and-build company with an interior-design division and a showroom in downtown Manhattan. Based in New York City's Brooklyn, it specializes in using materials with a rich history. Its Coney Island line--which includes the Cyclone Lounger pictured here--is crafted from reclaimed ipe wood that was used to rebuild the original Coney Island boardwalk in the 1940s. --Abigail Baron

7. In the Drink

When Annie Lawless and Eric Ethans needed help in building their homemade-juice business, they turned to restaurateur and loyal customer James Brennan and his good friend, serial entrepreneur Jeff Church. But getting Church interested in a drink called Green Supreme required some effort. "I'm a Midwestern meat-and-potatoes guy," he says, "so for me to try a kale-based drink--it took a while." But after one sip, Church was hooked. In 2012, the four launched Suja Juice, an organic, cold-pressed beverage company. Three years and 150 flavors later (including the raspberry probiotic water pictured here), the San Diego-based company is growing like an organic, non-GMO weed. --Abigail Baron

8. Tiny Parts That Make Big Things Work

Impact CNC manufactures small parts for big machines. Founded in 2012 by Jerry Busche and Aaron Schoon, the company creates components for the trucking, agriculture, and oil industries, among others. Impact CNC uses new, efficient computerized numerical control (CNC) machines that make preprogrammed cuts, so its products are customizable, precise, and more affordable than those of many of its competitors. The company just opened two 35,000-square-foot facilities near its Columbia City, Indiana, head­quarters and is scouting for another location. --Kevin J. Ryan